Farplane: Existence
by Minako-J
Summary: Auron comes to terms with his death. One-shot. Rated "T" for themes of death.


I love almost all of the Final Fantasy games. FFX is my absolute favotite. There are a lot of people who wish Auron had come back from the Farplane - myself included! However, I realized that this would probably not fit in with the game. So, I wondered what happened to Auron after he arrived at the Farplane, and this is what I came up with.

I do not own the rights to Auron, the Farplane, or anything connected with Final Fantasy.

* * *

It was like waking up from a dream. Only, he wasn't waking from a dream but his life. Auron looked at all the people milling around. This was the Farplane, the place he'd ended up after Yuna had Sent him. He supposed it had to happen sooner or later. He had been dead for several years, after all.

_What in Yevon's name am I going to do now?_ he wondered. He was a warrior. It was going to drive him crazy, sitting around, doing nothing. Also, it was so crowded here. Auron preferred solitude to crowds. At least the atmosphere was peaceful. Although there were hundreds of people in just this small corner of the Farplane, it was surprisingly quiet. _I guess the dead don't have much to say to each other_, Auron reasoned.

Auron knew that this time, there would be no going back. While he had been ready to move on, a part of him mourned. Not for himself but for the loss of the friendships he had developed while on his second pilgrimage to destroy Sin. Now that his task was ended, there was no reason for him to continue to dwell amongst the living.

Because he was so wrapped up in his own musings, it was a while before Auron noticed the little girl sneaking glances at him. She looked to be about 8 or 9 years old. Auron was not surprised to see so many children in this place. The evil that was Sin did not discriminate.

The little girl started to inch closer. Auron wondered what she could possibly want with him. He decided to wait and see how things played out.

"Pardon me," the girl said as she approached the weary warrior. "I don't mean to intrude, but are you Sir Auron?" She was surprisingly well spoken for her age. It was also surprising that she knew his name.

"Yes, I am," he replied. "How do you know who I am?"

"I knew it," the girl breathed. She was in awe of the great hero in front of her. "My parents used to tell me stories of you and Lord Braska and Sir Jecht." At this point, she burst into tears. Auron clearly didn't know what to do. Fiends he could deal with. Children were a different matter.

"Please," he requested softly, "don't cry."

The girl quickly wiped her eyes, as if embarrassed to have broken down in front of him. "I'm sorry. It's my parents. After Sin attacked our village, and we were sent here, I got separated from them."

"I see." Auron still wasn't sure where this was heading.

"Father warned me not to speak with people I don't know, but I figured because it was _you_ that it would be okay."

Since the girl seemed to require a response, Auron said, "Seems logical."

"Sir Auron," the girl asked, "would you please help me find my parents?"

"I..."

"Please don't say no. There isn't anyone else I can ask for help."

"Didn't your father ever tell you not to interrupt your elders?"

"Please, forgive me, Sir Auron." The girl bowed her head.

Auron had only been teasing the child with his comment. Granted, he wasn't used to teasing anyone, so it was no wonder he had erred in this attempt. To soften the girl's hurt, he asked her, "What is your name, child?"

"Nona."

"Well then, Nona, I suppose we'd better go look for your parents."

"Really?" Nona's head shot up and her eyes were bright with hope. "You'll help me?"

"That's what I said."

"Thank you. Thank you. Thank you." The girl made the sign of Yevon and bowed to show her appreciation. When she felt a hand on her shoulder, she looked up.

"If I'm going to help you, you must promise me one thing."

"Yes, Sir Auron?"

"No more thanking me."

Nona smiled and gave a nod of her head as her assent.

"Now, young lady, show me where you and your parents arrived."

As they walked toward the spot, Auron noticed that the scenery didn't much change. Everywhere in the Farplane looked the same. He wondered how the girl could tell when they arrived at the right area, and he asked her as much.

"Oh, I just feel it," she said. "This is where I woke up."

Now that he was starting on this quest, if one could call it a quest, Auron wasn't sure what his next step should be. He wasn't used to being uncertain of anything.

"Nona, what happened after you woke up?"

"That's a little blurry." Nona furrowed her brow, trying to think. "We, my parents and I, started walking in ... that direction." She pointed as she made up her mind which way they had ventured. "As we were walking, a group of Ronso suddenly appeared. I had been holding my mother's hand but, in the excitement, I let go." She turned toward Auron and gave him a sheepish look. "It was the first time I had ever actually _seen_ Ronso," she explained.

"So that's when you became separated from your parents?"

Nona gave a single nod.

"Alright," reasoned Auron, "then if we can find this group of Ronso, there's a good chance we can find your parents nearby."

Nona gave her hero another big smile. She knew he was the right person to ask for help. Impulsively, Nona grabbed Auron's hand and skipped along as they walked in the direction her family had taken. Eventually, they came upon a large group of Ronso.

Auron walked up to the first Ronso. "We require your assistance. This girl was separated from her parents. Did you happen to see her pass by with them earlier?"

The Ronso simply grunted and turned away. The same thing happened with the other Ronso Auron questioned. He couldn't blame them, though. He knew they must be bitter. This must be the group that Seymour had slaughtered in his destructive plan for domination.

As the pair moved past the unresponsive group, Nora tilted her head and looked up at Auron, asking, "Did it hurt much?"

"Did what hurt, little one?"

"You know - _death_." She whispered the word as if afraid to bring him more pain or even the memory of it.

"I don't remember anymore." Auron had meant to lie to the child but he found he didn't have to. He really didn't remember the pain after so many years.

"It hurt when I died," Nona confessed. "But then my parents were with me, so the pain went away. And now," she continued, clearly becoming upset, "it hurts more than ever."

This time, it was the warrior who took the little girl's hand. Auron didn't know what to say, so he comforted her the only way he knew in the absence of her parents. They walked like this for a long time in silence. Both were thinking of the ones they had lost, all because of Sin.

Auron blamed himself for part of this child's pain. If only he had been stronger on that first pilgrimage with Braska and Jecht, maybe he would have been able to defeat Sin and none of the current destruction and death would have happened. _What's done is done_, he thought. _There is nothing I can do about it now except help this girl._

They didn't know how long they walked. Time had no meaning in the Farplane. There was no day or night, no changing seasons. There was just existence.

"Sir Auron." The voice came from behind them. It was one of the Ronso. They had decided to help Nona after all.

"Girl's parents - traveled that way." The helpful Ronso pointed in a direction at an angle to the way they were walking.

"My thanks, great Ronso." Nona then gave him the sign of Yevon and bowed low, showing respect.

The Ronso merely grunted and moved back toward his people. Nona smiled again. It had been excellent luck that she had found Sir Auron.

Once the two made the adjustment in their direction, it wasn't long before they found Nona's mother and father. There was much hugging and kissing between the family. Nona's mother cried for joy. Nona ran back to her hero. "Thank you so much, Sir Auron." She gave him a hug, even though she knew the warrior would be uncomfortable with it.

"Be happy, little one." With that, Auron left the grateful family, knowing the little girl would be alright.

Auron started to make his way back to the spot where he entered the Farplane. As he passed the group of Ronso again, he gave nods to show his thanks. He received grunts in return but at least this time they didn't turn away.

Auron realized that the child had helped these people begin to heal. He also realized that Nona had helped him, as well. His existence on the Farplane didn't have to be meaningless. He knew what he was meant to do. There were so many children here. He had noticed it earlier. Many of them were walking around alone. He would make it his duty to help these children reunite with their loved ones.

Auron's life had ended but his journey hadn't.


End file.
